Short Stories and Writer's Block
by panda8785
Summary: Everyone get's writer's block, right? Well, I too suffer from it. While I'm trying to think of some "what next"s for my main stories, I think of ideas for completely different stories... These are just jotted down notes. Please read "Tragedy Called Agent Tennessee" and "Erin and Kappa" Rated T for possible future problems.
1. Agent Virginia

**Alrighty... so, I have writer's block on pretty much all my other stories, but I wanted to write something... I'm going to take a shot with this, but it may mostly be gibberish. May have to read The Tragedy Called Agent Tennessee in order to better understand some things.**

* * *

Agent Virginia didn't get along with many of the other Freelancers. She had experienced enough deaths close to her and had forced herself to shut others out. Agent Tennessee is one of a similar personality. Although younger, the small girl had accompanied Virginia on an unsuccessful, and lethal mission... why am I talking in the third person?

Hello, my name is Karen Meniscus, or as some like to call me; Agent Virginia... well, former Agent. I am twenty-five years old; virgin... Yes, I got teased. When I was seven, I had injured and blinded my right eye. Once I grew up, everyone in my family brought me down, saying things like, "you could never be a decent soldier." or, "Why even try?" I didn't give up, and look where I made it to. I had been dubbed Agent Virginia and was sent to the Mother of Invention. Granted, they didn't know I had a blind eye. I just covered it up with an eyepatch and said that I had lazy eye and that it would be fine eventually. I was twenty one then.

I was the newest of the old, but not the youngest of the new. There was also another agent by the name of Tennessee. She was always in a training room or somewhere. Her voice made her sound like a teenager, which just makes me wonder if she hit puberty early. She was only about eleven and a half. I only know this because of the few times I'd catch her running up and down the halls at the same time. Two thirty in the morning, she made her way to the locker rooms, then two forty-five became a jog in the opposite direction; the training room. There was a time when I took a moment to watch the child. I almost felt sorry for her.

"Are you here to check up on my little girl?" A man in white armor, with a scar across his eye and a cigarette in his mouth, had snuck up behind me.

"Ah uh..." I flinched, "I-I didn't know that she's here because of her father, mister..." My words trailed off.

"It's Alaska." He extended his hand towards me, "And there are no need for formalities, I'm sure I'm just around your age."

"..." I glanced at the child, who had still been training her ass off, then returned my gaze to the man, "That means you would've been about ten years of age when she was born..." I slowly backed away, realizing that he's probably older than he thinks I am.

"I would've been..." He pondered on the thought for a moment, "fourteen. That's saying I was her biological father, though... and I don't think I have biological children... or ever will." He started to laugh.

"So, she's adopted?"

"Yeah. Word of advise, don't take Agent Vermont's words literally. He'll screw you over." He looked through the glass window, watching the child carefully as she started to give of frustrated actions, "She's still fighting Zeta, huh?" He sighed.

"Pardon me," I interrupted his train of thought, "but who's Zeta."

"The last AI fragment of the Alpha AI." He turned his head to face me, "I'm sure you've heard of it."

"Um... Yeah. Wasn't it the AI that the original Freelancers drove insane before that project was defeated by two other Freelancers and Sim Soldiers?"

"Exactly." He turned once again to face the window.

"So, if that's the case, what part of the Alpha is Zeta?"

"Pardon?"

"Like how Sigma was creativity and Theta was trust. What's Zeta?"

"..." He continued to stare at the window, but seemed as if he were collectively thinking about what to say next, "When Zeta was 'born,' he actually somehow acquired three traits from the Alpha. His hope, depression, and innocence."

"And, why was he given to Agent Tennessee?" I continued to pry further.

"The Counselor, who took charge of Project Freelancer after the Director, thought that having someone to talk to her would eventually bridge the gap she's created between her and the rest of humanity."

"And why does she create this gap?"

"I will not discuss personal matters." He turned to face me and laughed a little, "I'll never hear the end of it if I talk about her personal life."

"My apologies." I took a step back.

"I don't blame you for being curious." He stifled another chuckle.

"..." I looked out the window myself, watching her knock down some test dummies, "Does she at least get along with you?"

"More or less." He let out a sigh, "There's still a gap between the two of us, but it's a smaller one." He smiled, "I think it's because I don't treat her like a kid. I know exactly how she wishes to be respected, and I believe she appreciates it."

"How can a child not want to be treated like one?" I scoffed.

"She's more than a child. She's gone through hardships. She's strong like a rock, but fragile like a flower... no normal child could live to her standards of do or die."

* * *

It's been roughly two years since I have joined Project Freelancer. Agent Tennessee was stabbed in the left side of her stomach on her first real mission. I knew a child like that couldn't survive something so dangerous. I visited her in the medical bay one morning. I don't know her all the well, but something compelled me.

"Hello, Agent Virginia." A black and white figure appeared as I sat next to the child, "How may I assist?"

"Instruction: Identify yourself." I responded, practically monotonically.

"Executing. I am Intelligence Program; Zeta, as created for the special operative program; Freelancer." The wisp-like character said in an echoey voice, "I was assigned to Agent Tennessee. My assignee has recently been injured in combat."

"I can tell." I looked down at the small girl, letting a scoff pass my lips, "Looks like she became injured because she was too selfish to understand your benefits."

"On the contrary," It had opposed my remark, "She became injured, besides the fact that she had used me."

"So, you actually got the chance to shine, eh Zeta?"

"Affirmative." He walked over to the girl, as if he were her guardian angel, "I believe she has seen that she can put trust in people," he behaved as if he were... well, human, "but it may take her a while to cope with the post-tramatic stress. She may not end up talking to anyone for a while."

"You act as if her death would burden you."

He float in mid air for just a moment, "Her death would have burdened me..." He can't actually care for this girl, right? After all the hell she put him through? "I understand she tried to shut me out, but I can empathize with her reasoning." His voice started to choke up. He couldn't be exhibiting the meta phase of Artificial Intelligence, can he? He is but a mere fragment.

"Are you saying you like being bullied around?" I responded with a sarcastic tone of voice.

"Not exactly." He sighed, "I believe I am able to save her... and her me."

... shortly after she had regained consciousness, she had been put in therapy. The poor girl had almost been killed by her own biological mother. I couldn't imagine having to suffer through what she did. The woman she had spent more than half her life waiting for had crossed paths with her in an unfortunate reality.

About a month later, we got a new agent. Minnesota... another child. He was merely a little older than Tennessee. Alaska had introduced them to each other, and that was the first time since the incident that I have heard her talk and have seen her smile... heck, that was the first time I had seen her smile since arriving to the Mother of Invention. Minnesota and Tennessee seemed to go together like pent butter and jelly. There was absolutely no way to tear the two apart... for once, both Tennessee and Zeta were happy.

* * *

Probably two or so months after Minnesota's arrival, the three of us were assigned to a mission with how ever many other agents. It was a recovery mission. Why they didn't have the Recovery Team go for this, it still fazes me.

"Jessica?" The airy voice of Zeta spoke up from next to me as the girl squirmed around in the seat of the pelican.

"Zeta," she spoke up in a slightly whiny, but authorative tone, "I've asked you before to call me by my assigned name; Agent Tennessee." There was silence among the two for a good five minutes before Zeta broke the silence.

"Agent Tennessee?... That sounds too formal." He looked up towards the ceiling, as if in deep thought.

"Well, call me Tenn like Minnesota does."

"How about Agent Speed Buggy!" He cheered. Speed Buggy? What is he, a child?

"... Speed Buggy?" Now she turned her head to the ceiling. I guess they're more alike than I thought, "I don't know about how I feel about that."

"Please!" He held his hands together in a pleading motion, "We can even put it on your dog tags! Standard procedure says that you get those after the third successful mission!"

"..." She looked down at her right hand, which was held fairly close to her chest, "Why Speed Buggy?"

"It suits your personality. Need for speed and perfection." I guess he has a point.

"Yes, but WHY Speed Buggy?" She repeated her question.

"Trust me, it suits you." I spoke up, laughing a bit.

"Eaves dropper." She said blankly, turning her head the opposite direction of me.

"It's not eaves dropping if you're sitting right next to me. I just happened to over hear it." I pouted underneath my helmet.

"She has a point, Tenn." Minnesota pitched in.

"Shut the fuck up, Kaito." She turned her head to face forward and allowed it to dip down ever so slightly... Does she like him? She is fourteen years old now, since last week. It wouldn't surprise me if them chemicals were kicking in.

"No need to be rude." He now turned away.

"Aw." I muttered under my breath.

"What the hell do you want." She faced me now.

"You like him, don't you?" I whispered loud enough for her to hear.

"Ah!" She jumped just a bit. Did I catch her off guard?, "N-n-no!"

"So that's how it is?" I hunched forward just a little, "Don't worry, that estrogen will kick in even further into your life. Next thing you know, you'll be crying while watching Lilo and Stitch." I smiled a bit.

"Crying at what now?" Does she not know about that movie? I'll get her to watch that soon enough.

"I'll bring it to movie night on Saturday. I'm sure there are other women who'd want to watch it." I leaned back as the Pelican landed and we were sent out on our mission.

* * *

"The mission failed?" I whimpered, listening to the voices around me as my eyes refused to open.

"Yeah Virginia." The voice sounded like... Arizona? Or was it New Mexico.

"The doctor said that you suffered from a major head wound." I guess they're both there.

"How major?" I sat up, still staring at blackness.

"Umm... well," That's definitely Arizona. The cautious man never likes breaking bad news.

"W-well, he said it was enough to knock out your vision in your left eye." New Mexico, on the other hand, loves to break bad news.

"O-on the plus side, you have your right!"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." I went to press my fingers against the bridge of my nose, but realized I still had my helmet on. I'm in the medical bay, right? If so, how come my helmet was placed on my head, and fixed in that matter.

"Yup!" New Mexico's voice remained cheery, "Have fun being half blind." Heh. I guess I've never told these dopes about my story.

"You shouldn't have to worry that much." Arizona's voice continues to be calm, "Agent York made it by pretty far with only his left eye."

"You realize he died because he was shot twice on the left side, right bro?"

"You're not making this any easier... What would Cuz say if she were here?"

"W.V. would probably pummel me and force me to eat dirt like she did back in elementary."

"Actually, I wouldn't doubt that." A laugh escaped his lips.

* * *

... I killed a colleague of mine today. We had been dispatched on a mission. We spread out into units of two. It was me and Vermont, Alaska and West Virginia, Tennessee and Minnesota, and lastly Arizona and New Mexico. It was an assassin mission to attempt to rid the galaxy of the insurrectionists. I hear the noise of heavy footsteps, and I ended up shooting poor Vermont in the chest. The mission was a success, but I lost a friend along the way.

Later that week, I've been summoned by the counselor. Heh... he wants to demote me. He feels like Freelancer is safer with me assigned to the Sim Soldiers. I didn't think it was possible to be demoted that far when you've worked so hard to simply join the project, but I somehow managed. I guess I've become that kind of impossible girl.

"Wait a minute, Virginia!" It was either Arizona or New Mexico, again... He sounded as if he were running after me as I was about to board my ship.

"Yeah?" I turned my head to face where the footsteps stopped.

"I just wanted to be the last one to see you on your way out." He was panting... definitely Arizona.

"Why would you even care?" I scoffed, "I'm a danger to any missions I'm placed on."

"Blind is hardly a danger." He laughed, still trying to catch his breath, "A hazard, perhaps."

"How did you-"

"Do you SERIOUSLY think that I'd know you for so long and not catch that?" I felt my helmet unlatch from under my chin, "You really have no faith in me."

"W-what are you trying to do?" I stuttered.

"Seizing the moment." He laughed, taking my helmet of from over my head. I felt his thumb make circles around my cheek as the rest of his fingers moved through my hair, "I'm actually going to miss this beautiful face."

"What the hell are you doing?" I huffed, "What's with this sudden change of attitude?"

"I'm probably not going to see you again." His voice started to get quieter, "It's funny, though. I am usually able to think more rationally in a bind, but everything about me ignored my own brain." He pressed his forehead against mine, "I'm sorry for bothering you. I just-"

"If you say goodbye, I'll kill you." I laughed, actually enjoying the moment. For the first time in forever time had slowed down, but the feeling hadn't lasted for I was called onto the ship and brought off the Mother of Invention.


	2. Brothers Until the Part When it's Over

**"Blah blah"  
"Etc..."**

**/\**

**.| means said at the same time.**

**Warning: Unhappy ending. Do not read last chunk if you are prone to crying ****a lot.**

* * *

I never wanted to be a soldier. I only joined because my older cousin and slightly younger brother had forced me. I was always the mathlete of the family. I honestly don't know how I acquired this personality trait, for my own parents had not cared for their own education nor have they pushed the three of us toward success.

My brother, Cameron, and my cousin, Verna, have always been sporty. Ever since Verna's father was convicted of felony, and she started living with us, they would both pressure me into physical activity. To this day, I cannot run without my body reverting to it's habits of exhaustion caused by the trauma of being held against my own will to play sports instead of curling up by a computer and writing a story book. I probably could have finished college, and still have money left over, if only they had left me alone.

The three of us continued our life together by joining the NUSC. Of course, I had no choice in this decision. Training was relentless, and I was unable to quit. There'd always be some reason to stay, like protecting my family. Men and women had been separated as training persisted, and it had become a rarity to see Verna once again. Whenever I had gotten the chance to see her, she had been noticeably different (mostly physically instead of mentally). All the fat that she complained so much about in high school had transformed into muscle. She had become the perfect picture of health. Cameron, as well, had lost contact with his six pack of pudding cups. Unfortunately, it had become easier to tell the two of us apart, for I still kept a hold onto my scrawny figure and was nearly unable to grow muscle. Just like Captain America before he got into that machine thingy majigger.

I constantly went off to the side lines and would methodically sneak junk food and hack into military computers to keep up with the weird, geek stuff like the next chapter of a comic or "leaked" information on the latest video games. I never got caught computer-wise, but I did get in trouble for a different mistake.

"What the hell is this?!" The Drill Sergeant held a Hostess snack that I had hid underneath my mattress.

"I-it's a Hostess Honey Bun, Sir." I responded, shaking, afraid of what punishment may become.

"Alright then," The man spoke with a not so calming, rigid voice, "Thanks to Honey Bunny over here, y'all just won five laps around the base! Starting now!" Everyone started to run outside as I followed. This sucks! One lap around the base alone was five miles. Twenty-five miles non-stop is just hell, "Hold up a minute there, stick figure!" he rest his hand on my shoulder, "You're sitting out for this one. I'll show you where you can sit until everyone else is finished." That night, I had been the victim of my first blanket party.

* * *

Shortly after training was over and done, Project Freelancer had offered me, Verna, and Cameron a placement. Of course we had to show our abilities to whomever was judging us. I wasn't fazed, because I knew that, even if I failed, Cammy boy would still beg for a reconsideration. I just wish he didn't. So, here I am now, exploring the Mother of Invention with my mentor, Agent Vermont. I had been dubbed Agent Arizona. Verna got the name change of West Virginia and Cam had received his new title; New Mexico. We were merely three of the few who took place in the new Project Freelancer.

Project Freelancer is being slowly, and methodically, rebuilt. Shortly after the presumed death of the Director, the project had been disband. Fortunately for us, the Counselor took charge and the Mother of Invention took flight once more.

* * *

Around the time I turned twenty-one, I had actually met someone who had not devoted his life to physical activity. The name he had been born with was Malik Zen, but everyone formally called him by his assigned name; Alaska. He wore white armor, but didn't wear his helmet unless on a mission. He had crew cut, brown hair and heterochromia of green and blue. He was one year older than me, but has less military experience. He was stronger than even I could surpass, which was just unfair. I work my buttocks off day and night with my cousin and brother, yet I've only seen him in the mess hall reading comics or roaming the halls. What could be worse? Even Vermont likes him better than me! My own, freaking mentor!... Well, our mentor. Because Vermont is no longer teaching the three of us, he was told to teach Alaska... but he's still my mentor. The kid doesn't even seem like he's been through basic training, so how did he get in?

"You alright there, Bro?" Cam interrupted my trance of envy.

"What do you want, Cameron?" I looked up from my lunch tray to make eye contact with the boy, who looked back at me with a face of concern.

"I haven't seen you this mad since that girl dumped you the day before prom for someone more popular." A grin came across his face, as if remembering something, "So, tell your brother what's wrong?"

"I'm fine." I sighed as I shoveled a spoonful of mystery food into my mouth.

"It doesn't look like it." He looked up towards the ceiling, probably thinking of a new topic of conversation... he still had that perverted grin, that I was all too familiar with, across his face, "You know, we've been on this 'Mother of Invention' for about three years."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm just saying... So far the only woman on this forsaken place is our cousin, and there's no way I'll satisfy my needs with her."

"H-how could you even think of that?" I was caught off guard. Yes, I know he's perverted, but he never really talked about these things... Is he trying to make me feel uncomfortable?

"Can't blame me. It's not like you'd understand, what with you being a virgin and all."

"You are too!" I defended myself, watching his smile grow, "I'm not even going to ask."

"You shouldn't have skipped prom." So that's what he was smiling about, "Girls were all over me that night. If you just acted sporty, then you would've had a shot. We are identical, after all."

"I'd prefer to revert the the three or four years you stayed silent about this."

"Lighten up." He whined like a child.

"I think this has been our awkward conversation of the month."

"I don't find it awkward."

"That's because you have no shame."

His head moved around for a good five minutes, "Testing for placements has become more strict. The more who test, the less who get in."

"That's because most of the placements have already been filled. They want the best of the best on Freelancer." I laughed an airy laugh.

"Which places are left?"

"If I remember right," I looked towards the ceiling, closed my eyes, and slowly inhaled, "Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Kentucky."

"Didn't Verna take Virginia?"

"No. She took West Virginia. Why else do you think they call her W.V.?"

"I thought that meant Whiny Virgin."

"No, Cam. It doesn't mean that." I pressed my index finger and thumb against the bridge of my nose, "And why would you thing that if you were the one to find her pregnancy test shortly after she graduated."

"That's why I was always confused whenever someone called her W.V." I felt something crush the sides of my head.

"You little asshole." An angry growl reverberated from behind me, intonating every syllable.

"Hey Verna!" Cam cheered.

"Hey." She sighed, spinning me around the bench seat, "I thought I told you not to take advantage of your brother, he's very impressionable."

"We've never had that discussion, Vern. You know I'm Lazarus and not Cameron, right?" I ran my fingers through my dirty blonde hair.

"Whichever." She huffed, "You know I can't tell the two of you apart."

"You're kidding, right?" Cam and I said at the same time.

"Don't tease me."

"He has more muscle than me."  
"He's more nerdier than me"

"Check your grammar."  
"You're damn right!"

"See!" She sat down next to me, "Now, who was the asshole who said W.V. meant Whiny Virgin?" She had been staring at me intensively.

"First off," I spoke up, "intelligent people have no need for cursing, and I know you're smarter than that." She glared daggers into me, "S-second,"

"If you're going to act like that, I can always organize a blanket party. Quit procrastinating."

"It was Cam!" I pointed at my brother. I felt a painful thump at the back of my head, arched my back, and held my hands at where the damage had been dealt, "What was that for?!"

"Ratting out your brother." She stood up.

"You asked!"

"You only told me because you were threatened." She started to walk off, "If you were held captive and gave out information, all of Project Freelancer would be fucked." She stopped and turned to face us once again, "And Cam, I'll talk to you later... We can see how much garbage in that head of yours we can remove to hopefully make it so you don't speak everything on your mind."

* * *

"Laazaaruuus!" I could hear Cameron behind me immediately before tackling me down toward the ground.

"What do you want, Cam!" I tried to push him off, but the brute wouldn't allow it.

"Guess what! Guess what!" He was really chipper this morning. Did a squirrel die?

"What?" I tried to calm him down by running my fingers through his hair. That seemed to work while I was observing him with one of his girlfriends.

"Please don't touch my hair." He said calmly, backing away from me, "Only girls get to touch my hair."

"And the barber." I laughed, making my way toward a standing position, "So, what's the news?"

"Oh, right! We have a new mission!" He cheered once again, but remained on the floor.

"Alright, but why are you so eager about it?"

"If we succeed, we'll get our tags!" Determination spread across his face, "Which means we can't fail."

"Actually, your logic is flawed."

"Alaska got his tags within the year he's been here, so how hard could it be?"

"Well, our first successful mission was about the fifth one we received, then the second was the last mission. We've been at this for about four years. Alaska just got lucky with the teams he had been assigned to."

"You're crushing my dreams." He pouted.

"Fine, have it your way. What type of mission is it?" I barely listened to him after he simply said 'I don't know.' I let him talk himself senseless. Perhaps we could run an experiment. Maybe he could exhaust himself.

* * *

"Are you sure she's eligible?" Verna watched the small girl who stood behind Alaska.

"Yeah. She's a bit... erm... short." I tried to find the right adjective for her.

"Forget short, man. She's fucking young." Cam laughed.

"Please watch your language." Alaska spoke up. Funny, I was going to say that, "She's still ten."

"I don't know if you're head is screwed on properly, Alaska." Verna sighed, removing her helmet.

"Didn't Vermont say something about how children are the future?" Alaska joked.

"I'm sure he meant that in a different way." I laughed, taking my helmet off at the same time as my twin brother.

"Are you part of the Aryan race?" The child ducked her head down and hid behind Alaska.

Cameron knelt down in front of her, "Now how are you even able to learn about a tragedy like that when you're in a place that teaches you about nothing but God and pacifism?" How did he learn about a tragedy like that while we were in a real school that taught us real things.

"I knew a guy who also used to smuggle in the PlayBoy magazine for the older boys. He helped me get some magazines and textbooks while he was out. It didn't help that I stayed in the same room for most of the day at that God forsaken place." Dang. Kid's got a bit of a tongue.

"I wouldn't call it 'God forsaken.'" Alaska scowled, "I think a place like that would be considered the exact opposite... And which magazines did you read if that boy was passing out PlayBoy?"

She pulled a wrinkled pile of paper out of her backpack, "This right here."

"I didn't know we had a magazine." Verna seemed surprised. I thought she knew everything going on with this Project.

"Yeah, Cousin. I though all our stuff was top secret." I sighed, losing faith in my peers.

"It's mostly comics portraying how awesome we are." Alaska chuckled, "Not anything that we hadn't previously released into the public. If there were a leak, then we would've had some issues to deal with."

"Quit groveling, Mexico." Verna pulled my brother by his short hair, forcing him to stand up, "There's no reason to make her anymore scared. You could at least introduce yourself."

"Can you go first, Cuz?" He was shaken.

"It really doesn't matter." She knelt down, "You may refer to me as Agent West Virginia or W.V. Which ever floats your boat. These two dumb a- I mean numbskulls behind me are Arizona and New Mexico. Please don't let them be your influences." She smiled a dull smile then stood up.

"Alright. Thanks for introducing us... I guess." I moved my hand to the back on my neck, trying to sooth a strain.

"Hey Bro? Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Cam started laughing.

"And what may that be?" I turned to face him.

"I wanna see what spunk this girly has. Do you think they'll let her use the training room for evaluation."

"Probably. My fear is that she probably doesn't have and skills in hand to hand or weaponry." My eyes drifted back towards the girl. There's no way they'll let a child join Project Freelancer. There are only four openings left (Tennessee, Virginia, Minnesota, and New Hampshire). They wouldn't risk any of those spots on a kid.

"Hand to hand, probably. Weaponry, hell no. She was raised in an orphanage not a military base like us"

"Of course, though, you're not planning on putting her in a room with actual people, right."

"Fuck no."

"You better not be planning on turrets either." Alaska intervened.

"Do you think we'll leave a little girl alone in a room with X amount of turrets?" We practically said in sync.

"It's hard to tell with your crack-pot schemes, anyway." Verna laughed, making her way out of our conversation and to probably a different room.

"Alaska?" I spoke up, allowing my voice going quieter, "Are you sure the ildchay should even try to get acementplay in ojectpray eelancerfray?"

"I don't know the concept of Pig Latin, if that's what you're aiming for." The younger man laughed at my incompetence.

"Then how did you know it was Pig Latin?"

"Because it's the only other language you know." Cam laughed.

"Shut up. You were born dumb." I joked.

"Why thank you." He made a dumb face.

We went off to the training room that they wanted the child to test in. We waited in the observation deck and watched as Alaska left her alone in the room. Why he'd do that, I have not a clue. The poor girl was shaking, not knowing what to do. I only noticed the baker's dozen of testing dummies by the time Alaska had gotten back.

"Those things are poorly made." I muttered, watching the child pacing back and forth, while watching the testing dummies.

"She's a kid." Verna laughed, "They're not going to have her test on the metal like they had us do."

"Yeah. I remember I broke my hand on one of those." I laughed, remembering our testing day, "And yet, Cam still made them take me."

"You two are inseparable, and Cameron didn't want it to change."

"Is that really why? He never told me."

"Round begin." F.I.L.I.S.S spoke up, announcing the start of testing. Everyone on the deck grew silent. She seemed to have snapped into it. She realized that it was the goal to knock those things down, since she lunged forward and punched where the stomach would be, if it were real, causing the dummy to collapse.

"Like I said, poorly made." I laughed, "The base is as thin as a pencil and at elevated just enough that it could collapse under it's own weight."

"She had pretty decent form, though." Cam laughed, turning to face Alaska, who had been standing behind us, "How did you find her?"

"They were eating lunch at the orphanage when I visited." He started his story, "A boy took some of her food, and she attacked him. When one of the Nuns went to punish her, she said she did it to increase her rate of survival." His face softened, "Poor girl, though only tried to survive in order to see her mother, who abandoned her at that orphanage."

"So, she's smart?" Cam turned to face me, as if asking whether or not he used the word correctly.

"She's dumb if she can't accept fate." I sighed, not noticing I had been leaning against the glass. I just watched the girl. She did have good form, considering her age. Some work could be done, but who was I to judge.

"Round over in fifty five seconds." F.I.L.I.S.S.'s voice went off. Perhaps the A.I. was mistaken, for even if the training dummies were poorly manufactured, there's no way a child could finish in that much time, "Name saved." Oh no, "Welcome, Agent Tennessee."

"Good luck, kid." I muttered... she'll probably die within the first mission.

* * *

"Mr. Arizona? Mr. New Mexico?" Our newest agent ran up to us as we were eating.

"Yeah, Tennessee?" Cameron held a calming smile.  
"Where's Alaska?" I asked, for she doesn't usually leave the man.

"Um..." She ducked her head down, not knowing which question to answer first, "H-how do you get the... um..." She pointed at her neck.

"What?" Cam laughed a bit.

"Do you mean the dog tags?" I asked the girl.

"Yes! Those! How do you get those?" She smiled, still keeping her head low.

"Third successful mission," Cam turned to face me, "Right?"

"Yeah. We got ours but a month or two ago."

"How good do I have to be in order to get a mission?" Her eyes twinkled. No, really. They were sparkling right in front of us, defying logic.

"I think they may want to wait until you're a teenager, since you are still fairly too young." I sighed, knowing it's hard to crush a child's dreams.

"You're probably right." She sighed and made her way to a training room.

"Way to go, smart guy." Cam laughed.

"I don't feel smart, right now."

* * *

"You alright, Laz?" Cam interrupted the silence between us in the wash room. I always found it awkward, since the wash room was the only place where men could take a shower on this ship... and it was just the worst whenever anyone else was there, brother or not.

"Eh... yeah, I guess." I sat down on the floor, letting my muscles relax in the luke warm water.

"You seem more... lovestruck." He had a wry grin, "Don't go falling for me now." He's some what right. I have been thinking about the new girl. Virginia. Her assigned name echoed through my head. No, it's not Verna. She was assigned to WEST Virginia.

"Well-"

"Y-you aren't actually falling for me, are you?"

"Heavens no!"

"That's a relief." He sighed, "That was just meant to be comedic relief... So if it's not me, then who?"

"The new girl."

"You don't mean Tennessee, right? Don't be a pedifile."

"No. I mean Agent Virginia."

"She's been in Freelancer as long as us... and we grew up with her, so that's fucking weird."

"Verna has the title West Virginia. The new girl with black hair's name is Virginia."

"What's the difference? It's the same state."

"Have you ever seen a map?"

"Not really. You know I never paid attention to the school stuff." He reached for a towel and turned off the water.

"Obviously."

"You coming back to our room? You need your sleep."

"I'll catch back up with you later." I sighed, watching the water head towards the drain.

* * *

Agent Virginia left Project Freelancer and Tennessee left with Minnesota on a mission at Blood Gulch. The previous few years were just too bland. There was such a lack of missions we were assigned to. We did have a mission a few days ago, but success results from tragedy... Verna was killed in action, and Cam and I have practically become helpless. We wouldn't have been where we are now without her.

"Lazarus?" Cam whimpered as he continued to eat his sandwich.

"Yeah, bud?" I smiled. I was the stronger one of us two.

"I wanna go back to our room."

"Alright. You can go ahead. I can get some junk food and we can watch a movie, alright?"

"Okay. I'll see you then." He stood up and slowly made his way out of the mess hall.

I ran over to the cupboard and grasped as many Oreos as I could, because there's nothing like an Oreo to bring a smile to someone's face, right? Making sure that I didn't drop a single package, I too made my way to my bedroom. Carefully, I reached for the door handle with my left hand. _Bang!_ My heart dropped.

"Oh God, please don't be what I think it is." I muttered as I slowly opened the door. My legs gave away as I found the bloody mass in front of me. Suicide. He had given up, leaving his light blue armor with orange highlights in a neat pile. If only I made it a few seconds sooner, then I could've stopped him. I'm alone in this horrible world. All I wanted was to share it with my family... but I stayed strong, and that is why I'm alive today.


End file.
